Little Vincent Simester at the start of his superhero challenge. Image shows a child pictured outside wearing a cape and with splints on his legs. He is doing a superman pose.

Superhero Vincent's charity challenge

A tot battling cerebral palsy has raised hundreds of pounds by completing a superhero challenge.

Little Vincent Simester, five, walked, cycled and swam almost 60 miles in 30 days for his Super Summer Adventure, raising money for East Kent Hospitals Charity and to fund his private physiotherapy sessions.

The youngster from Teynham, near Faversham, was born seven weeks early and spent 17 days on the Special Care Baby Unit at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate. After he wasn’t reaching his developmental milestones his parents became concerned, and an MRI scan when he was two revealed he had periventricular leukomalacia, a type of brain injury that resulted in cerebral palsy, which is very common in premature babies.

Mum Lisa said his disability did not stop him living a normal life.

She said: “Vincent really is a superhero, and he loves doing any sort of challenge.

“He has worked really hard on his physio to help him be able to walk, and he still has days where he is quite wobbly, so to have completed almost 60 miles is a real achievement.

“We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported him throughout this challenge, and to everyone who has sponsored him.”

The challenge is part of the Marvel Superhero series, which sees people with disabilities team up to show what they can achieve. This year’s event saw them take part in a virtual race around the globe, with team members completing their own mileage to add up to almost 32,000 miles. This is the third year Vincent has been part of the challenge, and he clocked up 58.135miles, raising more than £500.

Next year he plans to up the ante by taking part in a superhero triathlon event to raise even more money. So far he has donated more than £700 to the charity’s Tiny Toes campaign, supporting the special care baby unit. The money will help provide state-of-the-art additional equipment for poorly babies, as well as helping to improve the environment for patients, parents, staff and visitors.

Since starting his fundraising, Vincent and his family have raised more than £10,000 for 30 different challenges, as well as funding his private treatment. He has completed sponsored walks, and organised tombolas and online raffles.

Lisa said: “We will forever be grateful to the team on the unit for everything they did for Vincent, so raising money is a small way of giving something back.

“He continues to amaze me with everything he achieves and I am so proud of his determination.

“I hope his success in completing this challenge will inspire other families with superhero children to step out of their comfort zone and see what they can achieve too.”

Dee Neligan, head of charity for East Kent Hospitals Charity, said Vincent was an inspiration.

She said: “Vincent is a true superhero and it is wonderful to see his progress since he first started fundraising for our Tiny Toes campaign.

“I am sure he will inspire others to follow in his footsteps and challenge themselves just as he has.

“We are very grateful he has chosen us to benefit again this year.”

For more information on Vincent’s fundraising, visit his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067160720571 and for more on the Tiny Toes appeal visit https://www.ekhcharity.org.uk/campaigns/tiny-toes/